Conference on human rights and power-sharing among Iran’s nationalities at UN in Geneva

Geneva – The Geneva based Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Society held a conference on the condition of human rights in Iran and the Iranian oppressed nationalities’ right to power-sharing in Iran on Monday leading up to the 20th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The conference started with opening remarks from Teimour Elyasi, the Permanent Representative of Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Society followed by Karen Parker, the Chair Council of Association of Humanitarian Lawyers at the UN.

As one of the main speakers in this conference, Mustafa Hejri, the General Secretary of Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan along with criticising the ongoing discriminatory policies in regards to the nationalities in Iran and citing Iranian regime’s constitution stated that discriminatory policies against Iran’s Kurds, Arabs, Turks, Baluchs and Turkmans are institutionalized.

In regions where non-Persians are situated share of national income and country’s budget allocations are the lowest resulting in the under-development and resource deficiency in these areas, Mustafa Hejri added.

Other speakers attending the conference were “Carlo Sommaruga” a member of the Swiss Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Affairs and the chair of the Friends of Kurds in the Swiss Parliament, Karen Parker, the Chair Council of Association of Humanitarian Lawyers at the UN, Oretta Bandettini , the Permanent Representative of France Libertés at the UN in Geneva, Naser Boladi, representing the Baluchistan People’s Party, Diane Alaei, the representative of the Baha’i community at the UN office in Geneva among others.